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Power will be on full display on June 5 at the Cabaret of the Montreal Casino. In action: the hard-hitting tandem and world title hopefuls Arthur Biyarslanov and Imam Khataev will defend their respective NABF titles during the event broadcast starting at 6:30 p.m. on Punching Grace and ESPN+.
“Arthur and Imam are two athletes often compared to Artur Beterbiev. That says a lot about the level of boxing we’re lucky to have here, and the potential they possess. I have no doubt they represent the beginning of a great chapter for Quebec boxing,” said Eye of the Tiger president Camille Estephan.
Arthur Biyarslanov (18-0, 15 KOs) has seen a meteoric rise since signing with the Montreal-based promoter in February 2024. From his EOTTM debut to his most recent bout — in under 11 months — Samuel Décarie-Drolet’s protégé has notched five victories, including capturing the NABF super lightweight title and defending it three times. In his most recent outing, the man nicknamed ‘The Wolf’ completely dismantled former world champion Mohamed Mimoune — in under a round. Making giant leaps with each performance, the Canadian Olympian from the Rio 2016 Games is now ranked 13th in the world by the WBC in the 140 lb division.
Imam Khataev (10-0, 9 KOs) is also on the fast track, this time in the light heavyweight division. A bronze medalist at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, ‘The Destroyer’ joined EOTTM after just three professional fights and claimed the NABF 175 lb title in his sixth bout, in Quebec City, on the undercard of the Beterbiev-Smith event in January 2024. Since then, the powerful puncher has fought four times — in Quebec, Russia, and twice in Australia — easily dispatching world title contenders Ricards Bolotniks and Yunior Menendez, as well as Olympic fighter Ezequiel Maderna and Argentine brawler Durval Palacio in spectacular fashion. Riding high after this impressive win, Khataev returns to Montreal ranked 7th by the IBF, 9th by the WBC, and even 10th by the prestigious Ring Magazine.
The opponents for these top 15 and top 10 contenders, Arthur Biyarslanov and Imam Khataev, will be announced in the coming days, along with the other fighters featured on the card. Tickets for the #NABFRumble event, set for June 5 at the Cabaret of the Montreal Casino, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca.
